Apparatus for developing sensitized paper



April 18, 1933. B SMITH 1,904,551

7 APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPINGSENSITIZED PAPER Filed July 8, 1931 Fliltkl.

WITNESS 5 11v VENTOR I .4 TTORNE Vs Patented Apr 18, 1 933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFF-ICE BERNARD I. SMITH, OF RAH'WAY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 1'0THE REGINA CORI ORA- TION, OE RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING SENSITIZED PAPER Application filed July8, 1931. Serial No. 549,389.

My invention relates to apparatus-for developing'paper sensitive tolight and particularly to apparatus for developing such paper by meansof fumes liberated from an ammonia solution. Such fumes are mixed, inaccordance with my invention, with air which has been permitted tobubble through the solution of ammonia, the admixture of air and ammoniafumes being continuously circulated through an apparatus including aglass container into which the sensitized paper to be developed isplaced so as to subject such paper to such admixture of air and ammoniafumes.

The sensitized paper which is to be developed by my apparatus is suchthat the print made by the exposure of the paper to light is developedin a dry condition by the ammonia gas admixed with the air circu latedover the paper.

An object of my invention is to provide apparatus for a rocess ofdeveloping sensitized paper by t e circulation and recirculation of air.through a liquid charged with a developing medium in such a manner thata rapid] and uniform developing action by reason of the instantaneousgas generatlon from the ammoniated solution is obtained. A furtherobject of my invention is to provide apparatus for a process fordeveloping sensitized paper in which the necessary ammonia fumes can bedeveloped rapidly, even from an extremely weak solution of thedeveloping medium. Thus a greater economy in the practice of the processis possible than has been afforded by the prior art practice, in which,a strong or concentrated solution of the developing medium was necessaryin order to obtain satisfactory results. A still further object of myinvention is the provision of a process which makes the development ofthe sensitized paper a simple and rapid method characterized bycontinuity and uniformity of action. The apparatus for carrying out myprocess necessitates an extremely small amount of attention, both withrespect to the mechanical steps of inserting into and extracting printsfrom the apparatus and the ease with which the developing-medium can bechanged or replenished. The apparatus is further characterized by theabsence of any possibility of corrosion of any of its parts. A furtherand important feature of such apparatus is its capacity to permit theoperator to observe the development of the print, eliminating thenecessity of periodically opening the print container to ascertain thedegree of development, with its attendant loss of developing medium,time, and efiiciency of the process.

on and above the motor 3 by brackets 7, 7.

Integral with the gear 5 is an eccentric crank 8 to which is connectedby means of a crank pin 9 connecting rod 10 having at its end, piston11, slidingvertically within the cylinder 12 of a plunger pump, suitablymounted within the base 13 supporting the apparatus. The base 13 may bemounted on a wall by: means of brackets 14, 14.

In the bottom surface of the cylinder 12 of the plunger pump is anaperture 15 providing a seat for a ball valve 16 adapted to be seatedwhen the piston 11 moves downwardly so as to close channel 17communicating with a glass container 18 mounted in the base 13, accessto the interior of the container 18 for inserting the print 18 thereintobeing provided by a cover 19 having depending therefrom bolt 20 passingthrough a plate 21 pivoted at 22 on a bracket 23 secured to the base 13by screws 24, 24. The end of the plate 21 opposite its pivoted end issupported by a bracket 25. The plate tu 'nally wardly directed elbow 32into whichis inserted a sleeve 33 to which may be attached A glasscontainer 35 is mounted wit . through a tube of rubber or similarmaterial 34. partially n the base 13 and has in its side adjacent its'bottom surface an opening 36'com-- municating with a drain channel 37having a plug 38 inserted therein, retained therein by any suitablemeans such as a pivoted metal strap 39.

The container 18 is provided at its upper end with a rubber stopper40into which is inserted a sleeve 41 connected by rubber tubing- 42 to asleeve 43 in a rubber stopper 44 closing the upper end of the container35. The-tubing 34 is attached to a glass tube 45 passed through thestopper 44 of the container 35, such glass tube extending throughout thelength of the container and terminating at a point adjacent its innerbottom surface. i

A stoppered funnel 46 is rovided in the stopper 44 of container 35 orreplenishing the supply of liquid in such container.

The, operation of the apparatus is as follows: Y

The motor 3 actuates the plunger ump which extracts air from the lass tue 18 through the channel 17 and orces the air glass tube 45 as shown bythe arrows. The liberated at'the bottom of the glass container 35 andbubbles up through the ammoniated solution in such container.- Theagitation caused by the flowing of the air through the "solutionreleases the ammonia, and the admixture of gases is forced through thetube 42 so as to reenter the glass tube 18 at the top thereof. While themotor is running, a continuous circulation of air and ammonia is thusobtained, the admixture of gases (air and fumes of ammonia) passing overthe sensitized paper placed in the glass tube 18, thus developing suchsensitized paper in a dry condition.

The degree of development of the print or sensitized paper insertedin'the tube 18 may be observed by the. operator so that .as soon as thedeveloping process has reached the proper stage, theoperator may removethe print from the tube 18 by opening the cover 19 by pivoting the plate21. The developed print will drop out of the'tube 18. As the operationof removing the print from the tube 18 takes but a moment, after'which.

the tube may be again closed by means of the plate 19, very little ifany ammonia is lost during the removal of the print.

the channel 31, rubber tube 34, and

It may be noted that the direction of circulation of the admixture ofammonia fumes and air is in itself an important feature of my process.The natural tendency of ammonia gas is to rise to the top of a tubecontaining air and the direction of circulation" is par osely opposed tothis with the object of stea ying the action by forcing a solid columnof ammonia downwardly through the tube 18 and always extracting from thedeveloping tube 18 that part of the contents which contains the leastamount of The apparatus will therefore continue to run fora substantiallength of time without replenishment of the ammoniated solutioncontained in-the lass jar 35..

While I have descri d a particular embodiment of an apparatus adapted tocarry out my process, it is obvious that various changes therein,particularly in the disposition and arran ement of parts, may be madewithout eparting from the invention.

I-claim:

1. In an apparatus, for developing sensitized paper, the combination ofa motor, a plunger pum a glass tube for retaining the paper to edeveloped, a container having. therein a li ingwmedium, an conduitsbetween said glass tu plunger pump and liquid. container for circulatingair charged with the devel-wopin medium in a continuous path.

2. anapparatus for tized paper, the combinationof a motor, a pump, aglass tubeinto which the paper to be developedfisto be inserted, acontainer charged with an ammoniated solution, a conduit between said,glass tube and said pump, a second conduit between said pump and saidcontainer for conductin a mixture of air and'ammonia' fumes' rom saidglass tube into the'soluti'on in said container, and a conduitconnecting'the upper portion of said container-with the upper'portion ofsaid glass tube.

3. In an apparatus for developing sensitized paper in dry condition,the' combination of a glass developing tube into which the paper to bedeveloped is inserted, a plunger pump, a 'COlldlllt connectin saidplunger pump with the bottom portion .of

uid charged with a developdeveloping sensi said glass tube, aglass jarcontaining a liq- 1 uid charged with ammonia, a conduit between saidplunger pum and said glass jar delivering a mixture o air and ammoniafumes to the bottom portion of said glass jar, and a conduit connectingthe upper portion of said glass jar with the upper portion of the tubecontaining the print whereby a continuous stream of admixed air andammonia is passed over the printv to be developed.

BERNARD P. SMITH.

